Hershey's Kisses and Jane
by Geogirl
Summary: Cover Me November Challenge. Marshall fic


**Hershey's Kisses and Jane**

**By GeoGirl**

A/N:  This is in response to Cover Me's November Challenge.

Distribution:  Cover Me, SD-6 and whomever asks.

Disclaimer:  I do not own anything related to Alias.  I'm just detaining them for a while, but will issue a hall pass soon.

Today they have stuffed cabbage in the cafeteria.  I love stuffed cabbage.  My mom makes great stuffed cabbage.

Stew is talking with his mouth full again about the merits of the new server cluster installed on the fourth floor.  Brad is pushing his peas around, trying to make an exact replica of a crop circle he says he once saw.  Not sure if I believe in crop circles.  How come they're always in England?

Me, I'm just enjoying the stuffed cabbage and wondering what Maddie and I will have for dinner tonight.  I hope she went to the store and restocked my candy jar.  She knows I love the holiday wrapped Hershey's Kisses.  If you eat a bunch at once they give you a pretty good buzz.

Everyone's just gotten quiet at the table and I see why everyone is distracted.   Ms. Bristow has entered the room.

Now I know that Brad, Stew and Lori are just jealous that I get to work with Ms. Bristow.  I think they all have crushes on her.  Well, so do I.  She's amazing and not just in the looks or spy stuff.  She's an incredibly nice person.  And her favorite color is red.

Stew leans over his tray and his tie drops in the tomato sauce remnants from the cabbage.

"So M, what is she really like?"

"Syd?  She's great.  So nice and a bit on the quiet side.  I think she's a bit shy.  She likes to come into the op tech room and gab and help check out my new inventions when she's in the office.  Or just to grab a piece of candy."  My candy bowl is legend around here.

Ok, so that is a bit of a lie; she's been in Op tech 5 times this year.  But she is nice and always takes a piece of candy and always smiles at my jokes.

She's not opting for the cabbage today, but going with her standard turkey sandwich, salad, yogurt and a cookie.  I bet it's the oatmeal.  They are fantastic!  Oat was first cultivated in the steppes of Russia, I think.

She looks around and sends a little wave my way before heading to the corner table she normally occupies.  I notice she's got a book under her arm.  I wonder what she's reading?  Does she read any mysteries?  I should ask her sometime.  

I hear a collective sigh from the other occupants of the table.  Right now I am king of the world for knowing her.  Thanks, Ms. Bristow.

Everyone is quiet until Brad shouts and points to his tray.  Apparently the crop circle he saw looks like Charlie Brown's head, or it does to me.  I wish that Charles Schultz hadn't died.  I'm going to miss the Peanuts comic strip.  And what was with Lucy? She was so mean to Charlie Brown.  I wonder if there are any peppermint patties in the vending machine?

Lunch is over and I head back to the lab.  I wonder--if I change the frequency on the sound dampener, could I achieve a selected dampener?  I think Afro-Celt Sound System is a good CD for this afternoon.  

I'm just about to adjust the microprocessor on the dampener when Ms. Bristow pops her head in the door.  I wave her in and push the circuit board to the side.

"Marshall, I just wanted to say thank you for taking care of me.  The op tech that you've come up with has saved me so many times that I just can't say thank you enough."

"Well, Ms. Bristow, that's my job.  I'm glad I could help.  You know, if you ever want to watch or help me come up with ideas on new stuff, you can come over anytime."  I watch as she gingerly takes a red and green wrapped Hershey's Kiss from the bowl of candy on my worktable.

"Marshall, remember you're to call me Sydney.  Happy Holidays.  I saw this and immediately thought of you."  She hands me a festively wrapped gift the size of a book.  She unwraps one of the Kisses as I tear into the wrappings.   Boy, who wouldn't love to be that Hershey's Kiss? 

Oh my Lord!

"Sydney, this is amazing.  I've been wanting to get this.  Of course I have a pirated copy, but it doesn't have the extra footage." 

It's a three DVD set of the National Geographic Special on Jane Goodall.  My absolute favorite from the series.

She smiles that small smile of hers. "I saw it advertised on Animal Planet and knew you should have it."

I can't control myself; it is an out of body experience.  I hug her.  Ms. Bristow.  Sydney.  And she hugs back.

She gives me a small kiss on the cheek and I can feel myself turning bright red.  And I see another of those amazing smiles.  Did she leave a lipstick print?  I'll have to remember to check before I go home.

"Anyway, Happy Holidays Marshall."  She tucks that imaginary strand of hair behind her ear, turns, and strides from the room.  I am immediately struck by a line of song from my girlfriend's favorite CD.

_There is nothing between you and the Mona Lisa._

Damn right, Marshall.

Oooh, I can't wait to get home and show this to Maddie.  Maybe we can eat dinner in front of the TV while we watch it.  I sure hope she remembered to pick up dinner from the store.


End file.
